“Education is the key to unlock the world and a passport to freedom.” This statement, uttered by the renowned talk show host Oprah Winfrey, accurately portrays the inspirational story of one of Fikom Unpad’s proud students. Shavanna Ambar Kirani has successfully brought her dreams to the Emerald Isle of Dublin through the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) 2023 program.
A bright smile adorns the face of the Fikom Unpad student when asked about her success in receiving the IISMA 2023 scholarship. For her, studying abroad was like a dream come true. In order to realize her dream of studying overseas, Shavanna seized the opportunity by registering for the program.
According to her, the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award program is a worthwhile option for students who aspire to study abroad. “From the beginning, I had a desire to study abroad, and I chose to make my dream come true through IISMA. This program is highly recommended as it provides many benefits, from covering tuition fees abroad to living expenses there.”
The Indonesian International Student Mobility Award is a scholarship program organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Indonesian government under the Kampus Merdeka (Independent Campus) program.
As Shavanna delves deeper into her story, her enthusiasm grows. The challenging selection stages of IISMA did not dampen her spirit to fulfill her dream of studying abroad. The process she went through to obtain this scholarship was lengthy, from preparing the required application documents to taking an English proficiency test, crafting a creative essay, and participating in an interview.
Shavanna, the pride of Fikom Unpad, overcame one obstacle after another. Not a single stage felt easy, but she managed to overcome all the difficulties. “For me, the most challenging stage was writing the essay because it represents the applicant’s identity in the eyes of the evaluators. So, I constantly felt inadequate and had to continuously revise the essay I had written, even though time was running out.”
With the support of her family, Shavanna chose University College Dublin as the place to pursue her dreams. The beauty of the city and the friendliness of its residents made her choose the Emerald Isle of Dublin as her destination. She selected University College Dublin with a focus on intercultural communication, aligned with her interests. She believes that the courses she takes in the scholarship program at University College Dublin will contribute to her Journalism career, which is her ultimate aspiration.
The corners of the Journalism student’s lips blossom as she is asked to give messages to prospective IISMA applicants. “Friends can start by preparing for the English Proficiency Test, then conduct research on the universities and courses they wish to pursue. Additionally, they can have conversations or consult with previous IISMA awardees. This will provide them with a clearer picture of what needs to be done during the application process. Furthermore, they can consult with the department regarding the preferred university or courses. The most important thing is to do their best, and whatever the outcome may be, it is for the best.”
Furthermore, Shavanna shares successful strategies she employed during the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award 2023 application process. Diligently checking the required application documents is crucial to avoid any undesirable complications. After all, these documents serve as the first impression for evaluators. Most importantly, according to the Fikom Unpad student, sincerity in writing the essay is paramount. The essay’s content reflects the applicant’s identity, so it should be crafted in a way that leaves a positive impression on the evaluators.
Becoming an IISMA 2023 awardee still feels like a dream for her. Who would have thought that a dream could lead her to study abroad? Despite all the obstacles she faced, she bravely spread her wings to secure the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award scholarship. Now, all those efforts have paid off. Shavanna hopes that the lessons she learns during IISMA will be beneficial to those around her and applied at her cherished campus, Universitas Padjadjaran.
Her story is proof of how dreams can be the key to success. Courage, consistency, and action have taken Shavanna and her dreams to the Emerald Isle of Dublin. Success is about the process of competing abroad through the power of dreams. (Talitha Cantika Nurrafaida, [email protected])
